Review of the Book: Uncensored Narrative of MTV's Music Video Revolution
MTV: A Pioneering Force in Music, Television, and Culture
In the early 1980s, MTV revolutionized the music industry by airing music videos round-the-clock, offering an innovative blend of audiovisual entertainment. Once a beacon of music video programming, MTV has since evolved into a cable network known primarily for reality television shows. However, its indelible impact on the music industry, home entertainment systems, and popular culture remains notable.
Craig Marks and Rob Tannenbaum's book, I Want My MTV: The Uncensored Story of the Music Video Revolution, offers a comprehensive oral history of the channel's transformative first decade. The 600-page tome is filled with quotes from nearly 400 interviews with artists, executives, VJs, managers, and more, shedding light on the network's tumultuous journey in the self-indulgent 1980s.
From the sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll-fueled adventures to the controversies surrounding racism and political influence, I Want My MTV is an intricate tapestry of anecdotes, recollections, and insights. It effortlessly navigates the political, the licentious, and the trivial, offering laughter, contemplation, and 'OMG' moments at every turn.
One of the most groundbreaking aspects of MTV was its commitment to broadcasting in stereo, a bold move that required customers to pay for separate audio connections to home stereos. MTV executive Andy Setos, the cool engineer who made this happen, explained:
"I got a call from John Lack [MTV's founder] because I was an experienced engineer and I'd had experience doing stereo television at WNET, the public TV station in New York. I said, 'Look, music is stereo, just like television is color. If this network is about music, it's gotta be in stereo.'"
The book also delves into lesser-known events such as the Moscow Peace Festival, a hair-metal extravaganza with tenuous connections to MTV. Doc McGhee, the legendary manager of the event, recalled the challenges they faced:
"We couldn't get permits. Russian officials would say, 'Sure, this is a great idea,' but nobody would stick their neck out and sanction it. We never had a permit to do anything. I brought 64 tractor-trailers into Russia with no permits. That show was absolutely insane. I almost had a nervous breakdown."
MTV's incessant stream of eye-popping videos also had a profound impact on the concert business, driving the evolution of live performances towards visual spectacles. Early MTV executive Bob Pittman commented:
"Before MTV, concerts mainly consisted of artists standing onstage, looking at each other. I went to a David Bowie concert in the '70s that was considered state of the art because they had a cherry picker that lifted him up when he did 'Major Tom.' But after Michael Jackson and Madonna, shows became performances, with spectacular choreography and light shows. MTV changed live concerts."
However, not everyone shares this sentiment. Scott Ian of Anthrax expressed his relief at MTV's shift away from music videos:
"I couldn't be happier that it's gone. Videos were bigger than radio-that's why so many bands sucked live because you could just make a video and never have to tour. It enabled bands to become lazy. Now, if you want to sell records, you have to be a good live band and go on tour for 18 months, like you did before videos."
In terms of its influence on the music industry, MTV played a pivotal role in shaping the way music was marketed and consumed, placing great emphasis on an artist's visual appeal. Its programming helped launch and sustain numerous artist careers and ushered in new genres and styles into the mainstream. Although MTV later shifted focus away from music videos towards reality television, its groundbreaking contributions have laid the foundation for the fragmented digital landscape of music video consumption today.
The book, I Want My MTV, delves into the history of MTV's transformation, providing a wide array of insights on music, entertainment, and culture. It also discusses the network's evolution in broadcasting, including its pioneering move to stream music videos in stereo audio.
The commitment to stereo audio was a significant step for MTV, requiring customers to pay for separate audio connections to home stereos, as explained by the network's cool engineer, Andy Setos.
